Info Providers Combine Sawmill Databases
Madison’s Lumber Reporter and Blue Book Services have entered an agreement to combine Madison’s Online Lumber Directory data with the Lumber Blue Book online listings, forming the sawmill industry’s most comprehensive information database of companies in the U.S. and Canada. Updated daily, the combined dataset will contain over 23,000 headquarter listings and over 8,000 branch listings of primary mills, wholesalers, remanufacturers, importers, exporters and lumberyards.
IN Memoriam Eugene Robert “Gene” Kuzman, 93, founder of Kuzman Forest Products, Portland, Or., died April 28. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he completed his education at the University of Oregon. Shortly after earning a business degree, he established Kuzman Forest Products in 1956, leading the company until he sold to his longtime associate Greg Thelen and retired. Thomas R. Clemo, 75, thirdgeneration owner of Century Lumber Co., Long Beach, Ca., died of cancer May 29 in Seattle, Wa. A graduate of UC Berkeley and Indiana University, he retired from the family business in 2000 at age 54. Charles F. “Chuck” Todesco, 49, longtime truss designer for Colorado’s Alpine Lumber, passed away suddenly on May 26. After seven years in the U.S. Army, he joined Alpine Lumber, Buena Vista, Co. For a while, he ran his own company, Caddis Design & Drafting, Buena Vista, then worked at several different Alpine Lumber locations. At the time of his death, he was employed at Alpine’s Metro-Denver Design Center.
backhoe, excavating and trucking business, working until he was 86. William Lee Hiett, 99, western lumber grader, died in Reno, Nv. After serving in the Army from 1945 to 1947, he returned to work as a grader in Northern California. After several area mills closed, he relocated to Reno to work for Tahoe Timber, exiting the lumber industry when the mill closed in the 1960s. James B. “Jim” Thompson, former chairman of the board for Pacific Coast Building Products, Rancho Cordova, Ca., passed away on May 28 at age 91. A successful attorney, Thompson
was asked to join the Pacific Coast Building Products board in 1977 and was named chairman in 1997. Robert Julian Stedelin, 87, formerly with Ray Lumber Co., Phoenix, Az., died May 31. After graduating from Arizona State University, he joined the family business, Ray Lumber. He later earned a PhD at Holy Names University and became an ordained chaplain. Ron Elliott, 84, retired sawmill foreman for Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., died June 10. He spent 40 years with Roseburg, the last 12 years as mill foreman.
Rough TiMbeRs uTiliTy Poles PRessuRe TReaTed luMbeR
Borates CA-C
FiRe ReTaRdanT TReaTed luMbeR and PlyWood
Above + Ground Contact
Call the experts: • Robert Moore • Jim Winward
UTAH WOOD PRESERVING CO. 1959 SOUTH 1100 WEST WOODS CROSS, UTAH PHONE - WOODS CROSS: (801) 295-9449 FAX (801) 295-9440 PHONE - SALT LAKE (801) 262-6428 FAX (801) 748-0037
Ralph Irving Miller, Humboldt County lumberman, died May 15, three days shy of his 96th birthday. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1945, Ralph spent decades in the lumber industry, culminating with 20 years as superintendent of CalPacific Redwood Co., Blue Lake, Ca. When Cal-Pacific closed all of its plants, Ralph obtained his general contractor’s license and started a Building-Products.com
July 2021
n
The Merchant Magazine n
59
